Runners wake up to 2014 Hair of the Dog

More than 100 brave souls met 2014 by powering through a -20 wind chill at the Balmy Beach Club’s 34th annual Hair of the Dog Fun Run and Walk on New Year’s Day.

Colin Campbell finished first at the 34th annual Hair of the Dog fun run and walk, organized by the Balmy Beach Club every year on New Year's Day.PHOTOS: Andrew Hudson

“It was awesome,” said Colin Campbell, who had the fastest time in the 9 km run along the beaches boardwalk and Martin Goodman trail. “A slippery mess, but it’s always fun.”

Every runner and walker left a mark on the snowy course, but Kerry Walker topped the women’s open race with her time of 41:59, while Mark Duff led the men’s masters at 40:14 and Sheila Jacobs finished first among the women’s masters at 45:18. Donna Kellway finished as the fastest power walker among the women with a time of 1:14:00, while Rainer Moller took the men’s top spot at 1:11:22.

For Campbell, kicking off his first year as a pro triathlete, jumping into frigid Lake Ontario is now a three-year New Year’s Day tradition, and an especially poignant dip this year given how much time he plans to spend training in the pool this year.

“It seems like a really great idea,” he said. “You’re running in, you’re so pumped, the adrenaline’s going, and it gets you about seven strokes out with your head up and then you’re like, ‘This is crazy! Get out! What are you doing?’”